


Looking in From the Outside

by jenjen92



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Break Up, Fluff, Getting Back Together, Light Angst, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-11
Updated: 2015-11-11
Packaged: 2018-05-01 05:11:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5193473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenjen92/pseuds/jenjen92
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kagami watched as Aomine finished his relationship with Kuroko that afternoon, for reasons which he did not quite understand. Will he be able to help his best friend pick up the pieces left afterwards and help him to move on, or be able to let his rival know that he has made the wrong decision? All Kagami does know, is that the pair love each other. And despite anything else, isn't that what should matter?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Looking in From the Outside

The pair was standing in one of the more secluded areas of the school grounds, a large cherry blossom tree giving them shelter from team-mates eyes and ears. But Kagami could see them. He watched them from the gymnasium hall, and although their words didn’t reach his ears he did not need to hear them. Kagami knew what the conversation was about. He half expected Kuroko to cry. Or to at least show some emotion, but his face was as stoic as always. It was Aomine who was crying, almost sobbing in fact, as he traced a tanned finger over the purplish-blue bruise that was tattooed across Kuroko’s cheek, before wrapping the boy up in his strong arms. He could barely watch as Aomine placed a final kiss on that same bruised cheek before turning from Kuroko and walking away, leaving him standing under the tree.

Kagami let out a slow breath and counted to ten slowly. Kuroko hadn’t moved. Deciding enough time had passed, he left the gymnasium and jogged towards his friend. He didn’t even turn his head as Kagami approached, didn’t say a word. That revealed as much to him as if he had admitted it in words. Kuroko was broken.

“Hey, wanna stop by Maji Burger?” Kagami asked, trying to keep his voice upbeat, “my treat.”

Kuroko finally turned to face Kagami, cold blue eyes darting everywhere but to meet Kagami’s own.

“I would like that, Kagami-kun.”

* * *

  
Although he knew Kuroko only wanted a vanilla milkshake he ordered him a burger as well, and the smaller boy’s eyes narrowed slightly as it was placed in front of him.

“Eat.” Kagami said simply, shoving a burger from his mountainous pile into his mouth.

Kuroko unwrapped the burger painfully slowly and brought it to his mouth, taking a delicate bite before drowning it in vanilla.

“Aomine-kun hates me.”

It’s started Kagami thought as Kuroko suddenly blurted out that statement, his expression still unwavering. Since Aomine told Kagami about his intentions the previous day, he had spent a sleepless night thinking how to comfort his friend. What he could say to him. But as Kuroko was annoyingly unpredictable he felt that his efforts were in vain. It would have been easier if he was just crying.

“Oi, idiot. Aomine doesn’t hate you.” Kagami sighed deeply as Kuroko focused his eyes on his milkshake, “do you know why he has done this?”

“Because he thinks that if we are together I will continue to be a target for those who want to get to him to make him quit basketball. He doesn’t want me to get hurt again.”

Kuroko answered immediately, his hand automatically covering the bruise on his cheek.

“Huh, so you already know.”

“Yes. But it does not hurt any less.”

“…He is just trying to protect you.” Kagami said slowly, the feeling of awkwardness starting to creep back to him.

“It’s stupid.” Kuroko said with a small sigh, “I don’t need protecting.”

Kagami lifted one of his forked eyebrows towards his hairline.

“Like hell you do.” He said, trying to lace his words with concern, “no offence Kuroko, but you can’t fight. That bruise, and the rest on your body, is proof. If we hadn’t shown up when we did…” Kagami trailed off as he sensed the small change in Kuroko’s behaviour. “Anyway that bastard…Aomine….he, well, he cares about you.”

Kuroko didn’t reply. The only sound that could be heard was the slurping of the straw in his mouth. Kagami let out a deep breath.

“Want to play one on one?”

* * *

  
Basketball does not solve everything and he is not a relationship counsellor, Kagami thought a week later on the way to after school practice. Since that time in Maji Burger Kagami had not breached the topic of Kuroko’s relationship with Aomine, and his teammate had not seemed willing to talk either. But, noticeable to everyone on the Seirin team, Kuroko was not the same. He may be turning up to practice as usual, and giving it his normal effort, but it was the small changes in his behaviour that started to stand out. Kuroko’s mobile phone that had rarely made an appearance before never seemed to leave his hand, eyes flicking quickly over the screen, and he left practice as soon as it was over. Even more worrying, new bruises and cuts had started to appear on the boy’s body. He made no effort to hide them as he changed for practice as always, but the moment they were mentioned he clammed up. The second years on the team, especially Hyuuga, had tried to push Kagami into getting the blue-haired boy to open up. They stated that keeping in feelings over emotional events such as a breakup, and whatever else is going on in his life, wouldn’t be good for him, or his basketball. But inexperienced in these things he had kept his distance. Until that practice.

“Okay, listen up.” Seirin basketball coach Aida Riko spoke loudly, hands placed firmly on her hips, “I have managed to arrange a practice game against Touou school next Tuesday. This will be a great opportunity for all of us. Especially for you, Kagami, to test yourself against Aomine!”

“Uh, yeah…” Kagami replied, shooting a look at the rest of the team who also seemed uneasy.

“Oi, coach, read the mood…” Hyuuga scowled.  
“Eh? What do you mean?”  
“

It’s Touou.” Izuki said in a self-explanatory tone, “Think about Kuroko. A Kurou (hardship) for Kuroko.” He added as the rest of the team groaned.

“Izuki’s jokes aside, I think that right now-“

“Thank you Koganei-senpai.” Kuroko interrupted, gaining all eyes onto him, “but I am fine. Please don’t change the practice on my account.”

“Hey, are you sure Kuroko?” Kiyoshi asked with a warm smile, “because if you need to sit this one out…”

“I am sure.” Kuroko said firmly, picking up his water bottle from the side bench, “Please excuse me.”

As Kuroko left the gymnasium and headed towards the showers, everyone’s gaze then changed to Kagami. He could feel their eyes fixed on him, full of wordless expectations.

“I…I’ll go after him!” he blurted out, small noises of approval audible from the team as he jogged towards his friend’s direction.

* * *

  
It took some effort for Kagami to persuade Kuroko to visit his house after school. Even the promise of a home cooked meal did little to sway the blue-haired boy’s mind. But the Vanilla milkshake did. As he sat slurping it at the kitchen table Kagami took the seat opposite him, trying to mask his lack of self-confidence with a scowl firmly on his face.

“You don’t need to go to the practice game if it will be difficult for you, y’know.”

“I know.” Kuroko said simply, not raising his eyes to look at Kagami.

“Then don’t go.”

“I need to.”

“Why?” Asked Kagami, taking a long sip of his own drink as he waited for Kuroko to formulate an answer.

“Because otherwise we cannot practice our team play in a real game situation” Kuroko stated, as though he was reading from a textbook. Kagami rolled his eyes.

“Tell me the real reason.”

“I don’t know what you mean, Kagami-kun.”

The ringing of the oven timer broke the silence between the pair’s staring stalemate. With a slight growl Kagami left the table to pull their dinner from the oven, giving him time to think of a way to break down the obvious walls his teammate was creating. And to his surprise, he actually thought of one.

“Oi Kuroko, you are always talking about trusting in teammates, that you can’t stand on your own.” Kagami said, emphasising the words carefully, “so why aren’t you trusting me now? It kinda hurts, to be honest.”

Kuroko pushed his milkshake away and let out a deep sigh. He raised his eyes finally to meet Kagami’s. They were as watery as their ocean blue colour.

“I need to go to the game, because I need to see him.” Kuroko finally said, his voice wavering slightly, “I need to see him. I miss him. I miss him…”

Kagami realised then, that he was wrong. It wasn’t easier when Kuroko was just crying.

* * *

  
As Kagami set himself up to dunk his slightly worn basketball into the hoop in the local street basketball court, the ball was knocked straight out of his hand, and it bounced lightly on the tarmac.

“You’re late!” He shouted as he ran after the ball, his ‘opponent’ flashing a lazy smile.

“Mm, well, you should be lucky I came at all Bakagami.”

“You never say no to playing basketball with me, Ahomine.”

Aomine shrugged, catching the ball Kagami threw to him and twirling it in his fingers.

“How’s Tetsu?”

He clearly aimed to ask the question casually, but the tremble in his voice let his feelings slip through.

“He’s a fucking mess.” Kagami said, noticing the way Aomine’s face fell slightly, “Fix it. I have had enough.”

“Oi, what do you mean fix it?” Aomine’s glare simply causing Kagami to narrow his eyes in return.

“You were the one who broke up with him for a dumbass reason, so I am telling you to get over whatever crap made you do it and take him back.”

“Fuck you.”

“No, not me. Kuroko.”

A small growl left Aomine’s mouth before he shot the ball in the hoop, the ball neatly falling through its target.

“I can’t…” He said lowly, as Kagami, who grabbed the ball, began to engage him in a game. “Has it stopped, at least?”

“Has what stopped?” Kagami asked, attempting to dribble the ball past his rival’s defence.

“You know…those bastards targeting Tetsu. Saying they will stop hurting him when I give up basketball. They must have stopped now we are no longer…” The tanned male trailed off as Kagami stopped dribbling the ball, hugging it to him with dark eyes.

“Kuroko won’t talk about it.” Kagami said, the expression on Aomine’s face still unsettled, “but I have seen the bruises on his body. We all have.”

“Fuck!” Aomine spat, punching the metal mesh fence surrounding the court.

“They aren’t stupid you know. Those bastards know you still care about him, together or not.”

“I can’t give up basketball.”

“And Kuroko doesn’t want you to. Which is why he won’t tell anyone what he is going through. Doesn’t want you to worry.”

“Well, I am shit worried.” Aomine laughed, rubbing his glowing red fist and flopping onto a wooden bench, “We need to think of something, Kagami. It pisses me off to no end, but we will need to get everyone on this.”

“You really like him, don’t you?” Kagami said simply, taking a seat next to him.

“Idiot.” Aomine said, taking a long sip of water, “Like? I fucking love him.”

* * *

  
“You okay, Kuroko?”

“Of course, Kagami-kun.”

The pair were standing outside the gates to Touou school, the Autumn wind nipping at their fingers. Hyuuga and the rest of the team were a short pace behind them, seeming to watch Kuroko as though his actions would reveal something about how he was currently feeling. Kagami knew they wouldn’t. As they entered the school gymnasium, they were greeted with Touou captain Imayoshi who led them inside with a polite but slightly jarring greeting. Kagami could see Aomine warming up on the other side of the gymnasium, his movements as powerful as always. The tanned boy stole a glance in their direction, navy eyes frantically searching for sky blue. Instead, they met the deep crimson of Kagami’s and turned away immediately. Sighing, Kagami turned around to talk to his friend. Kuroko was not there.

“Senpai, have you seen Kuroko?” Kagami asked Izuki who was just beginning to warm up next to him. The raven haired boy frowned.

“No. Wasn’t he with you?”

“Crap…” Kagami cursed, looking around quickly in case he had just misplaced him. It wasn’t hard to do, but he believed Kuroko would not be using his misdirection in a situation like this, and he was now used to sensing the other boy’s presence.

“I’m just going to find Kuroko, don’t start the game without me!” Kagami yelled as he suddenly shot from the gymnasium, leaving the sound of Hyuuga’s shouting behind him.

When he reached the courtyard Kuroko’s figure was still nowhere to be seen, and there was no signs that the boy had been there. Maybe he never left the building. Kagami began to think, and turned back to return to the gymnasium. However the moment he turned a tanned male dashed outside, sweat slick on his brow.

“Oi, Kagami. I heard Tetsu was missing!” He shouted, jogging towards him. His voice was more desperate than Kagami had ever heard it, and that alone sent a slight jolt down his spine.

“So he isn’t in the gymnasium then?”

Aomine shook his head. His hands were held tightly in fists.

“He wouldn’t do anything stupid, would he? Tetsu is above that, right?”

“What do you mean, ‘anything stupid’?” Kagami frowned and Aomine’s eyes widened slightly.

“Idiot!” He yelled, the stress building up inside him. The tone of his voice dropped low. “I was supposed to be protecting him. All of this was supposed to protect him.”

“You’re the idiot, Ahomine.” Kagami glared, unsure why he was beginning to sound confrontational, “You don’t have to see his broken face day in, day out. I might not know how he is feeling, or what he is thinking, but just looking at him pains us, and you caused it! How were you protecting him? By abandoning him so anything could happen to him? Kuroko is stronger than you think, he always takes a stand for what he believes is right even if he is as physically weak as shit. It’s not protecting he needed, or wanted. He just wanted you by his side. Is that so hard for you to fucking understand? It’s what you want as well, isn’t it? So why-“

The blow to the side of Kagami’s cheek stunned him to silence for a moment before the fiery burn kicked in. His immediate reaction is to fight back, to sink his fist into the face of his rival turn friend that he was simply sick of seeing. But the tears that sparkled in the light kept his fists firmly at his sides. He forgot that Aomine was so sensitive; infinitely more than the constant persona he carried with him.

“Don’t you think that’s what I want, Kagami!” Aomine yelled, pulling at his navy hair, “how can you understand, someone who has never been in love! Do you even have a person you want to protect? Do you know that feeling?”

Kagami fell silent. He couldn’t help the feeling that Aomine was right. He had never had a girlfriend, never been in love. The only experience he had was watching the happiness that his best friend had when in a relationship and the change that had happened within him afterwards. But, was it truly Aomine’s fault? How was he to know what was best for another couple. Suddenly, he felt like a complete outsider.

“Let’s just look for Kuroko, okay?” Kagami muttered, turning around. He was met with a pair of round, blue eyes. “Ku-Kuroko!?”

“Yes, it’s me Kagami-kun.” Kuroko said with a level voice, avoiding looking at the figure behind the red-haired male, “I’m sorry for causing any trouble. I just needed some air before I saw him.” He lifted up his finger and pointed directly at Aomine.

Aomine looked stunned for a moment before he shook his head as though he needed waking up, and practically leapt towards Kuroko.

“Tetsu! Testu…are you…how are you?”

The usually gruff sounding voice seemed to be a pitch too high as he spoke, and Kagami wondered whether he should give the pair some privacy but his legs seemed unable to move.

“I heard everything Aomine-kun.” Kuroko said frankly, directing attention away from the question he was asked. “I think you were harsh to Kagami-kun. It may be true, but he has been a good friend to me. After everything.”

“Tetsu I-“

“It was you, wasn’t it Aomine-kun?” Kuroko sighed, moving closer to him, “You asked Kise-kun and Midorima-kun to help me.”

Kagami’s eyes widened. That’s what he meant by he had to get everyone on it to help stop the bullying, no assault, that Kuroko was experiencing.

“Kise-kun had to come from Kanagawa. Midorima-kun was not pleased either. That’s not fair. If you were so worried, why did you not come yourself?”

The accusing tone to Kuroko’s voice was unmistakable.

“I’m sorry, Tetsu, I couldn’t-“

“Yes, you could.”

The trio fell into silence, Kagami standing a bit further back than the pair who were simply staring at each other. He wanted to say something, anything, to break the silence, but it was as though he had forgotten how to speak. Their practice game was long forgotten by now.

“I love you.”

The sudden, shocking words smashed the silence into pieces. Aomine seemed stunned at Kuroko’s unexpected confession, his small but strong and unwavering voice still ringing in all of their ears.

“Aomine-kun, I lov-“

Before Kuroko could finish, Aomine moved over to the smaller boy’s side in a heartbeat and wrapped him tightly in his arms, pushing his head gently down onto his shoulder.

“Idiot…I love you too, Tetsu.” He whispered unusually gently into his ear. Aomine let go of Kuroko and held him at a slight distance. He leaned in and captured Kuroko’s lips with his own, once again pulling his body close to him.

With a smile, Kagami turned and walked back towards the gymnasium to help pick up whatever pieces were left of the team’s practice game. They, he decided, were going to be alright.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> This came about because I really wanted to write about a relationship from an outsider's point of view, showing how they sometimes notice or have to deal with the aftermath of whatever happens to their friend. It can be a hard position for them to be in too, so I tried to reflect that, although I don't think it turned out so well!  
> I also wrote this as my first try in this fandom, before I get to work on the ridiculously long fiction I have planned out for Kuroko no Basuke (five couples, interweaving story arcs = difficult!) and some in the Free fandom too!  
> If you liked it, please let me know, it would make me very happy!


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